An example of a garment that assists in sleeping is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0255,099 to Sternberg, which is incorporated by reference here in its entirety. As discussed in Sternberg, an outerwear garment, composed of a body having a neckline and a collar includes a collar accessory includes front and back regions of material joined to the body of the outerwear garment in proximity to the neckline.
Sternberg also teaches that the collar accessory has an interior space of changeable volume between the front and back regions. An elongated inflatable air cushion is positioned within the interior space. The air cushion expands into the interior space and assumes a tubular shape to support at least one of the neck and head of the wearer when the air cushion is in an inflated state. Thus, Sternberg teaches a head and neck support that is integrated into an outer garment.
This may be effective while sleeping in an upright position. The supports are, however, often difficult to carry and may not provide support to the head, neck, torso, and back simultaneously. Also, travel and sleep related items may be difficult to access while resting on the inflatable supports described in Sternberg.
In many instances, traveling by plane, train, bus, or automobile often occurs in a substantially upright position. Sitting in the upright position can become quite uncomfortable when wishing to rest or sleep, particularly when the motion of the vehicle is turbulent. Additionally, accessing sleep or travel related items can be problematic while resting. Undesirable lighting and sound may also impair proper sleeping.
Often, an inflatable torso, neck, and head supports can be placed on the seat during travel to help support the neck, head, back, and lumbar region. These various supports enhance the comfort of the traveler when trying to rest or sleep. Unfortunately, the supports are easily prone to become dislodged through movement by the traveler or the vehicle. Another problem a traveler may encounter while attempting to sleep during travel is the inability to control light and noise levels, especially while traveling in a public transportation vehicle.
Additionally, travel and sleep related items commonly utilized by the traveler may be difficult to access, as the items are often stored in luggage, or placed underneath the seat. The present invention helps facilitate sleep and access to the travel and sleep related items during traveling by addressing the aforementioned problems.